desempeñar Preterite Conjugation

When to Use the Preterite

Use the preterite of 'desempeñar' for completed actions in the past. For example, 'Desempeñó un papel clave en la reunión' means 'He played a key role in the meeting' – a specific, finished action. It contrasts with the imperfect, which describes ongoing or habitual past roles.

Notes on desempeñar in the Preterite

Desempeñar is a regular -ar verb and follows the standard conjugation pattern in the preterite tense. Note that the 'nosotros' form 'desempeñamos' is identical to the present indicative; context will clarify which tense is meant.

Example Sentences

• Desempeñé el papel principal en la obra.

  I played the main role in the play.

  yo

• ¿Tú desempeñaste bien tu función?

  Did you perform your function well?

  tú

• Ella desempeñó un rol importante en el proyecto.

  She played an important role in the project.

  él/ella/usted

• Desempeñamos nuestras tareas con eficacia el año pasado.

  We performed our tasks effectively last year.

  nosotros

• Ellos desempeñaron sus roles sin problemas.

  They performed their roles without problems.

  ellos/ellas/ustedes

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Using the imperfect 'desempeñaba' instead of the preterite for a completed past role.

  Correct: Use 'desempeñó' for a specific completed action, like 'Él desempeñó el papel de líder ayer'.

  Why: The preterite marks a finished action, while the imperfect describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past.

• Mistake: Forgetting the accent on the 'yo' form.

  Correct: The correct form is 'desempeñé'.

  Why: The accent on the 'é' is necessary to indicate the stressed syllable and distinguish it from other forms.

Related Tenses